Overview
- U.S. European Command said the Russian-flagged Marinera, formerly Bella 1, was seized in the North Atlantic under a U.S. federal court warrant after tracking by USCGC Munro, with reconnaissance support from the UK RAF.
- U.S. Southern Command announced the capture of the M/T Sophia in international waters in the Caribbean, describing the vessel as stateless and engaged in illicit activity.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the court order authorizing the Marinera seizure also covers the crew, who could be brought to the United States and prosecuted.
- The UK has identified a potential legal basis under the 2018 Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act to board shadow-fleet vessels lacking valid flags, with about 520 ships already sanctioned and early planning under way.
- Russia’s transport ministry condemned the Marinera seizure as unlawful under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and a senior lawmaker called the action “21st-century piracy.”